Olav Dirkmaat, director of the Center for the Analysis of Public Decisions, has been awarded first place in the 20th Caminos de la Libertad Essay Contest for his work titled "Por qué fracasan Acemoglu y Robinson: Una crítica a las falacias neoinstitucionalistas acerca de la pobreza y riqueza de las naciones." In his essay, Dirkmaat challenges the main thesis presented by Acemoglu and Robinson regarding why nations fail.
"My essay dismantles the central thesis of why countries fail according to Acemoglu and Robinson and shows that their neo-institutionalist framework—based on the idea of inclusive and extractive institutions—oversimplifies real economic history. Through examples such as Singapore, China, Guatemala, and bourgeois Europe, I argue that culture, ideas, and spontaneous human action explain development better than imposed political reforms. Instead of top-down planning statism, prosperity arises from values and economic freedoms that cannot be designed from above. By confusing Hayekian institutions with government-imposed rules of the game, neo-institutionalism is a hidden but direct threat to liberalism," said Dirkmaat.
Caminos de la Libertad is an organization dedicated to promoting and defending economic, political, and civil liberties. The group believes that each person should decide how to manage their money, who governs them, and how they live their lives. Its mission is to demonstrate that living in freedom is the only dignified way to exist because greater freedom has been shown to reduce poverty, promote justice, and increase happiness.
Second place in the contest went to Omar Raya León for "Entre la objetividad y la ficción: Una crítica liberal del realismo ingenuo," while third place was awarded to Santiago Navajas for "Elogio de la libertad rebelde."
The award received by Dirkmaat highlights Francisco Marroquín University as a space where critical reflection and defense of liberty are emphasized.
For more information:
Center for the Analysis of Public Decisions
cadep@ufm.edu
Guatemala City, October 8th, 2025
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